The present invention relates to an electronic processing system provided with a portable electronic apparatus, such as a personal computer, and a connectable apparatus, such as an expansion apparatus, to which the electronic apparatus is connectable.
Recently, personal computers of the book- and notebook-types have become widespread due to advantages including handiness to carry and adaptability to free use of a built-in battery as a power supply unit that replaces the commercial power supply.
The computers of this type are designed for compactness that ensures improved portability, so that their functions for standard equipment are restricted more than those of stationary computers. Even if the equipment is satisfactory, addition of new functions or expansion of capability may be expected in some cases. To attain this, the rear face of the computer casing is provided with expansion connectors and ports that are connectable with apparatuses for expanded capability.
On the other hand, there are provided expansion apparatuses having card slots or the like that can be loaded with storage devices, such as a hard disk drive, optical disk drive, etc., and expanded-capability cards, as devices for expanding the capability of the portable personal computers. In general, one such expansion apparatus comprises a carrying surface that can carry a personal computer thereon and an apparatus-side connector that adjoins the carrying surface and is connectable with an expansion connector of the computer. From the carrying surface protrude positioning pins for positioning the computer with respect to the apparatus-side connector and locking the rear portion of the computer.
In connecting the personal computer to the expansion apparatus, the former is first placed on the carrying surface of the latter. In doing this, positioning holes formed in the rear corner portions of the base of the computer are fitted individually from above onto the positioning pins that protrude from the carrying surface of the expansion apparatus. Thereupon, the computer is accurately positioned with respect to the apparatus-side connector. In this state, the personal computer is slid horizontally along the carrying surface toward the apparatus-side connector, whereby the expansion connector of the computer is connected to the apparatus-side connector.
Thus, the personal computer and the expansion apparatus are connected electrically to each other, and the computer can be used with expanded capability or increased storage capacity. Also, the positioning pins serve to lock the rear portion of the computer, thereby preventing careless disengagement of the connectors.
In connecting the personal computer to the expansion apparatus in the electronic processing system constructed in this manner, however, the computer must be moved in the vertical direction in order to fit the positioning holes of the computer onto the positioning pins on the expansion apparatus. If there are any obstacles over the expansion apparatus, therefore, the efficiency of the connecting operation is lowered considerably, that is, the operation is troublesome and time-consuming.